The invention relates to a cleaning system and to a method for cleaning a surface.
Hygiene plays an important part in many areas of daily life. Good hygiene can contribute to preventing many illnesses by removing or destroying germs which settle on surfaces. Cleanliness is another aspect. When surfaces are cleaned, visually disturbing impurities are removed, so that a more agreeable external appearance is obtained. It is also sometimes necessary to remove deposits or accumulated substances which have occurred due to environmental pollution.
Previous cleaning methods have been based, as a rule, on cleaning off the surface mechanically, that is to say a cleaning tool is led over the surface and, at the same time, impurities are released and stripped off mechanically. Chemical agents are often used to destroy or kill germs and bacteria, but then have to be removed again themselves and occasionally exhibit aggressive behavior toward the surface to be cleaned. In many instances, therefore, great care must be taken in the choice of cleaning or scouring agents, and these must be appropriately adjusted to the surface to be cleaned. However, particularly in the control of germs and bacteria, it is to be observed that specific germs develop increasing resistance to specific agents which are used to control them. Even after cleaning has been carried out, the desired lack of germs or even freedom from germs is then not achieved, although this is not noticed immediately at all.
The object on which the invention is based is to specify a cleaning system which makes it possible to simplify the cleaning of surfaces, to increase the reliability of the cleaning effect and largely to rule out secondary effects. The object of the invention is, furthermore, to specify an improved method for cleaning a surface.
The solution proceeds from a cleaning system for cleaning a surface, said cleaning system having:
a cleaning tool (2) with a working region (A) and with a UV-light source (7), the UV-radiation of which emerges from the tool (2) in the working region (A), and
a cleaning agent which contains a photoactivatable semiconductor material (3).